Change the background of a photo
Swap a messy room for a studio colour, a holiday photo, or a scene you describe in a few words. The subject is cut out by an AI model; you choose what goes behind it.
- Colour, photo or AI scene
- AI cut-out via Vercel AI Gateway
Drop the photo whose background you want to change
or paste from clipboard · JPG, PNG, WebP
Getting a believable composite
The cut-out is the easy half. What makes a swapped background look real is agreement between the subject and the scene:
- Light. Look at which side of the face or product is brighter and pick a background lit from the same side. Describe it in the AI prompt: "window light from the left".
- Perspective. A product shot from above needs a surface seen from above: "top-down view of a linen tablecloth".
- Depth. Real lenses blur distant backgrounds. The generator is told to produce a softly focused plate, and a light Soften edge value helps the join.
- Colour. A warm background around a cool-lit subject looks pasted on. Pick colours from the same family, or a neutral.
Good prompts for AI backgrounds
Describe a place and its light, not the subject: "sunlit white-tiled bathroom shelf, morning light", "dark slate surface with soft top light", "blurred city street at dusk with warm bokeh". The model is instructed to leave the middle empty and never add people, products or text.
Questions people ask
How do I add a background to a photo?
Drop your photo, let the AI cut out the subject, then choose Colour for a plain backdrop, Photo to use your own background image, or type a scene description and press Generate background to create one with AI.
Does the AI background generator see my photo?
No. Only your short text prompt is sent to the background-scene model (Recraft V4.1 Flash via Vercel AI Gateway). The cut-out itself is a separate call (GPT Image 2.5 Flare) that only sees the photo you want cut out; compositing happens in your browser.
How do I make the new background look real?
Match three things: light direction (if your face is lit from the left, choose a scene lit from the left), camera height (eye-level photos need eye-level backgrounds), and sharpness. A slightly soft background, as the generator produces by default, hides small edge flaws and mimics a real lens.
Can I use a blurred version of my own background instead?
Yes: choose Blur to keep the original scene but soften it like a portrait lens. The blur background page explains the optics.
More from the studio
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- Transparent PNG makerExport a clean cut-out as PNG or WebP with real alpha.
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- Blur backgroundPortrait-mode blur and lens bokeh after the fact.
- Object removerBrush over people, wires or clutter and fill the gap.
- Logo & signature cleanerDrop the white behind logos, scans and signatures.
- Blur facesHide faces and number plates before you post.